Signal transmission system



Aug. 17, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet .1

Filed NOV. 27, 1951 5 sheets-sheet 2 m N u I A. V. BEDFORD SIGNAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM Aug. 17, 1954 Filed Nov. 27, l/95l R Wb. \P,r I mw ww S Q QESQ 4 Nmmbwk ATTORNEY Aug. 17, 1954 A. v. BEDFORD 2,586,859

SIGNAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM Filed Nov. 27, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ilz I 1- ,1X/ //f l/l 5 IL t IL rL rL ML l IL IL v IL IL IL IL @I IL IL I IL IL II INVENTOR ATTORNEY Aug. 17, 1954 A. v. BEDFORD SIGNAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed NOV. 27, 1951 Aug- 17, 1954 A. v. BEDFORD 2,686,869

SIGNAL TRANSMISSION SYSTEM Filed Nov. 27, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR mitter in which a signal Patented Aug. 17? 1954 UNITEDV STATES PATENT OFFICE o 2,68%,869 e Alda V. Bedford, Princeton, N.

J., assigner 'to Radio Corporation of America, a corporation i of Delaware Application November 27,1i51, Serial No. 258,368

(Cl. 2506l 7 Claims.

fThis invention relates to a signal transmis` e sich system inwhich a signal may be conveyed in a transmission channel having a bandwidth o transmit a plurality of independent signals in channels having less bandwidth than would `normally be required it each signal were carried by a separate channel. This tizing one of the signals ers in between quanta and inserting the othlevels. 'Quantizing as used in this 'specication is defined "in the Bell System Technical e Journal 446 and 447, as the process by awave constructed of values selected from a of July 1948, pages "discrete 'set "of values available; or as defined in Proceedings of the IRE of November 1948, page 1324, vlast paragraph, quantizing is representing a signal by certain discrete allowed levels only.

The object of the present invention is to provide quantizing methods andapparatus 'whereby one signal can be transmitted in a channel having less bandwidth than the signal. e

This objective may be obtained by treating the values oi a signal occurring at Auniformly spaced intervals as though they were separate signals. For example, the signal value occurring during a first interval may terval may be delayed by an amount of time existing between the two intervals and added 'in between the quanta levels and the lirst signal. The composite 'signal thus formed during the first interval represents 'the signal Values tect the signal sent by the transmitter of Fig- `ure`1.

Figure 3 illustrates `waves that appear stuifferent points in the transmitter of Figure l and the receiver of Figure 2. o Figure 4 shows anotherforrn of transmitter.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternative arrangement for the transmitter of Figure l.

Figure 6 illustrates by block diagram a trans- `mit-ter having a bi-valued signal in one third` of replacing a signal Y be quantized and the 1., `signal value occurring during a preceding insideraticn will Vbe given to delays the signals applied to -it cofde the signals sent by the transmitter Iof Fig- Figures 8A and `8B illustrate a `type of decoding cathode ray tube that may be employed in the receiver of Figure iSy'and Figure 9 illustrates the type of waves that appear at `diiierent points in thetransmitter of Figure 7 'and the receiver *of Figure I8.

In "discussing the transmitter of -Figure 1 -conthe waveformssof Figure 3 which bear letters corresponding to simi- `larly I'designated points 'in lthe transmitter of Figure 1 and in the receiver of Figure 2. The wave l'form a appears at the output of 4a signal source 2 `and after passing through a quantizer *Il appears as a stepped wave b which lis applied to an ladder `6. The sig-nalsupplied by the source I2 and represented by the wave `form a `is also passed tothe adder `"t via aydelaycircuit 8 -and `an -attenuator lll. The output oi `the delay circuit 8 is represented by the wave -form c fand rthe output of fthe attenuator lll is indicated by `the vwave form Ld. In this fparticular arrangement, the signal-a is to be transmitted :at half Lthe normal band width `or 4in other words, =at a 'lband width that is `half -the highest frequency of :the signal a itself. In Vthis situation, the delay circuit 8 `by a half acycle fo'f `this highest frequency, The attenuator l0 serves to reduce the amplitu'delof this delayed signalso that ift does not exceed :any one :quanta step 'present in wave `form b. The output Lof attenuator lill is represented lby waved. The out- 'put of the adder yi5, represented by wave fe, is sampled by a circuit l2 so as to Aform a series of` composite lplulses Vor samples ig. A low-pass Ulter lfd limits the highest frequency that can `be :applied to la transmitting means half lli to `onelthe highest frequency 4of .the signal vthat `is yto be transmitted and therefore changes 'the pulses-g to form a `waveform i.

waves b and d. It is this wave Y the beam up and passed on by the sampling circuit I2 is equal to the highest effective frequency of the signal a to be transmitted.

In normal types of signal transmission, the number of pulses y required to represent faithfully a signal a must be equal to twice the highest frequency of the signal a and the band Width required would be equal to the highest frequency of the signal a. In accordance with this modication of the invention, however, each of the composite pulses g represents two values of the signal a occurring at different times and thus the required band width is cut in half. This would require that the delayed signals be separately sampled. In fact the sampling can be done at most any point as long as the nal samples of the signal and its delayed components arrive at the low-pass lter I4 simultaneously. The signal a arrives at the adder t in quantized form as indicated by the wave form b and also in a delayed and attenuated form as indicated by the wave form d. The output of the adder is a wave form .e which is a summation of the form e that is and, therefore, each I2 has an sampled in the sampler I2 pulse y emerging from the sampler amplitude corresponding to the quantized level of the signal a at a particular instant of time plus the attenuated value that the signal a had at a previous interval of time. The white portions of the pulses g indicate the quantized values of the signal a at the instant of time during which the sampling pulse occurs, and due to the delaying action of the delay circuit 8 the shaded portion of the pulses g represents the attenuated value of the wave form a at a previous time indicated by the arrows 20. The delay is such that this previously indicated time falls midway between the pulses y.

Various arrangements of the components are possible. For example, the quantizer 4 might i be a cathode ray tube provided with aA step shaped target and equipped with an electron gun for projecting a nat broad beam of electrons. The signal to be quantized is applied so as to deflect down the step shaped target discrete amounts of the cross beam strike the target. With such a quantizer, the sampling might be accomplished by pulsing the beam on and off.

Figure 2 illustrates a receiver adapted to reconstruct the wave a from the wave f. The wave f is detected by any suitable means 22 and applied to a sampler 24 which is operated in synchronism with the sampler I2 at the transmitter of Figure 1. Because the wave goes through the peaks of the pulses y and because this wave f is sampled in a sampling circuit 24 at the same relative instants, the pulses g are recovered. The pulses g are then quantized in a quantizer 26 so as to produce pulses h that correspond exactly to the height of the quantized wave b at corresponding instants of time. For example, in pulse 22 of the pulses g, the darkened portion lies above the quanta level 2, but does not quite come up to the quanta level 3. The pulses h are subtracted from the pulses g in a subtractor 2l so as to derive pulses i. The subtractor may be comprised of two amplifiers having a common load. One amplifier is fed with the output of the quantizer and the other amplifier is `fed with signals at the input of the quantizer after they have been inverted in polarity. Such devices are well known to those skilled in the art so that different sectional area of this land for this reason further details are not prev degree that the original signal 1 and the amplifier 31 of sented. Actually, the pulses i represent the attenuated value of the signal a at a point indicated at arrows 2li. However, the original phase relationship between the pulses h and i can be restored if the pulses h are delayed by circuit 28 so as to form pulses k. The original amplitude of the attenuated pulses i can be restored by suitable amplification in an amplifier 30 to form Wave y.

The pulses :i and lc are added in adder 32 to provide the pulses m. After integration in the low pass filter 34, the wave Z is recovered and may be applied to any means such as kinescope 33 lthat is adapted to make use of the signal. It will be noted that the recovered wave l is substantially the same shape as the wave a, but that it is delayed by an amount equal to the delay in the delay circuit 8 of the transmitter or the delay of the delay circuit 28 in the receiver.

The sampling can be effected at different points in the circuit than that shown. It is important, however, that the points selected be such that the pulses applied to the adder 32 occur in the correct order. For example, the sampling could be done in the electric path carrying the quantized signal at any point before the delay circuit 28 and in the electrical path bearing the other signals the sampling could be accomplished after the subtractor 21. If, however, the sampler in the electrical path carrying the quantized signal is operated at times occurring between the samples of the sampler in the other path, it can be located after the delay circuit 28.

Figure 4 shows an alternative form of transmitter. Corresponding components in Figures l and 4 are indicated by the same numerals. As in Figure l there are two electrical signal carrying paths coupled between the source of signal 2 and the output to the transmitter, one of the paths carrying quantized signals and the other carrying signals that are attenuated to t in between the quanta levels. In both arrangements the common input ends of the two paths may be termed an input terminal and the input to the low pass filter I4 or the transmitter I6 may be considered as an output terminal. Each of the arrangements shows a different way of permitting energy to fiow from the input terminal to the output terminal during uniformly spaced intervals. In the arrangement of Figure 4 this is accomplished by sampling the signals after they have been combined in the adder 6. In the arrangement of Figure 4 this is accomplished by sampling in each of the paths. For example, apparatus 33 could be a quantizing cathode ray tube having its beam keyed by the sampling signals. A separate sampler 35 could be employed in the other path.

Figure 5 illustrates an alternative form of transmitter for generating signals of the general type generated by the transmitter of Figure 1. For convenience, similar component parts are indicated by primed numerals. Instead of attenuating the non-quantized signal, as was done in the transmitter of Figure 1, the quantized signals are amplified by an amplifier 31 to such a a lies within quanta levels. Thus, the attenuator I0 of Figure Figure 5 are both means for insuring that the unquantized signals will t in between quanta levels.

Instead of delaying the non-quantized signals, as was done in the transmitter of Figure l, the quantized signals are delayed by delay means 3B. It is only important that means be provided Volve higher frequency harmonics.

`for delaying either the quantizecl or the nonquantized signals with respect to the other. In

`the `arrangement of Figure 1 the samplesprovided by the sampler l2 represent the value of signal at a given instant and the value of the quantized` signal occurring at a previous instant.

The receiver of Figure 6 is adapted to cooperate withthe transmitter of Figure 5. Because of its similarity to the receiver of Figure 2 correjsponding components are designated by primed numerals. The non-quantized signal is extracted `by the subtractor 21 and its original relative amplitude is restored by an amplifier 36. In order to secure proper phase relationship between thequantized and non-quantized signals, a delay means 38 is placed in series with the amplifier 3U'. In this way the total delay in the whole system for the quantized and non-quantized signals is the same.

Figures '7 and 8 respectively illustrate a transmitter and receiveradapted to convey and reproduce a signal having two significant levels iny a band width `that is one-third the normal amount required. Figure 9 shows waves n' through y that appear at similarly designated points in Figures 7 and 8. A signal such` as that indicated by the letter n is supplied by a source 40. After passing through a limiter 42, that may be an amplier biased beyond cut olf or a biased diode, the signal n' assumes one of two levels as indicated by the waveform n. The signal n is applied to an adder 44 directly.

The signal n' is also applied to a series circuit comprising a delay network 46, a limiter 48, and an attenuator 50, and the resulting wave o is applied tothe adder 4'4. The limiter 48 limits the signals to the same maximum value as the lim- "iter 42, and the attenuator 50 reduces the" signals by a factor of two. The output of the delay network 46 is also applied to a series circuit comprising another `delay network 52 and an attenuator 56, the attenuator serving to reduce the signals applied to it by a factor of four so as to produce a wave p. Thus the maximum values of the waves n, o and p are in the ratio of 4:2:1.

If Wave n' to be transmitted had steep rises and falls in addition to flat tops and bottoms, the limiters 42 and 48 would be unnecessary.

The signals n, o and p are added in the adder 44 and the resulting signal q is sampled in a sampler 58 under the control of sampling signals supplied by a source 60 so as to form samples s. After being smoothed in a low pass lter 62 and amplified, the samples s appearas wave r which i is transmitted' to a remote point by any desired means 63. The upper limit of the low pass filter 62 is one-third the highest eifective or useful frequency of signal n that is to be conveyed tothe remote point. The highest useful frequency is `determined only by the intervals between the rises and falls of the wave; It is understood that unnecessarily steep rises and falls in wave. nf in- The sampler 58 operates at a frequency equal to twice the upper frequency limit of the low pass flter62 or in this particular application at two-thirds the highest useful frequency of the signal n. `The amount of delay in each ofthe delay networks 46 and 52 `is equal toene-third of the time interval between the sampling pulses s` provided bythe r.sampler 58.` Thus, whenthe wave q` is sampled t in the sampler 58, each sample s bears information with respect to what the wave 11.' is at a be discussed in connection with Figures 8A and 8B. The decoder 66 may also sample thewave r at instants corresponding to the pulses s. It is apparent that the sampling` must be at the same frequency and phase as the sampling in the sampler I58 at the transmitter andtherefore any known means may be employed for synchronizing the sampling signals provided by the source 68 at the receiver with thel sampling signalsat the transmitter.

At` the instant when the received `signal r is sampled in the decoding tube, it lhas a value determined by the instantaneous value of the signal n', thevalue the signal n had in a previous interval reduced by a factor of 2 and illustrated by wave oand the value the signal n had in the next previous interval reduced bya factor of 4 as illustrated by wave p. Since the wave n may either be 0l or 4, the Wave o, 0 or 2, and the wave p, 0 or 1, these waves can be added in all possible combinations without adding up toI the same composite value for any two different combinations of individual values. Therefore, the amplitude of the signal r at sampling intervals uniquely represents a `particular combination of the possible value of the waves n, o and p. For example, if wave r has a value of one unit only wave p could have a maximum amplitude as the others would be too large. Again, if the signal r had a value of 5 units, the value could only be attained by adding the maximum values of waves n and p. The decoder 66 produces, in a manner to be described, a pulse t at one output whenever the received wave 1" has a value diuing a sampling interval of at least 4 units so as to indicate that the wave n had a maximum value at that time. The decoder 66 also produces pulses u and c at two other outputs whenever the amplitude of the received wave 1' during a sampling interval is such as toindicate that waves o and p respectively had maximum values. The pulses t, u, and c are preferably of the same amplitude and when present at all occur at the same time.

The pulses v indicating the presence of the maximum value of the wave p are passed directly to an adder l2. The pulses u that indicate the existence of the maximum of the wave o are delayed by one-third the time between the pulses s by a delay unit 61 and after` passing through an attenuator 69 that reduces their amplitude by one-half appear as indicated in wave w at the adder '12. Similarly, the pulses t, indicating the presence of the maximum value of the wave n are delayed by two-thirds the time interval between successive pulses s by delay unitsI 69 and 'lll and after passing through an attenuator 1l that reduces their amplitude by a factor of 4 appear at the adder 'l2 as indicated in the wave x. As in all the gures, the presence of .attenuating merely indicates the relative gains in the respective circuits, and, as is well known to those skilled in the art, such relative gain could also The wave forms v, w and x areV added in the adder i l2 so as to provide a series of pulses y which Vwhen integrated in the low pass filter 'M produce a Wave e which corresponds to the original signal n with the exception that it is delayed by two'- thirds the time interval between the pulses in addition to the delay caused by transmission. The wave e is applied to any means 'lfor making use of the wave e.

As in the case with the transmitter and receiver of Figures 1 and 2 the band width saving is accomplished by successively delaying the signal to be transmitted, adding these delayed signals to thev original and sampling the sum thus derived to produce the pulses s.

We turn now to the discussion of Figures 8A and 8B which illustrate one formthat the decoder `(it of Figure 8 may assume. A cathode ray i tube 18 is equipped with an electron gun et adapted to project a thin horizontal ribbon beam of electrons toward a target generally indicated by the numeral 82; The sampling signals provided by the source 53 are applied to a grid ed so as to pulse this beam of electrons. The signal r is detected by the means 64 and applied to one of a set of vertical deection plates t5v so as to cause the beam to assume a vertical position on the'target 82 that corresponds with the amplitude of the received signal r.r4

In Figure 8B the details of the target 82 are illustrated. It is comprised of a mask 8l of beam obstructing material having three vertical rows of apertures cut therein. Behind each of the vertical rows of apertures are separate target strips 86, 88 and 9e respectively that are adapted to produce a signal when struck by a beam of electrons. As will be seen from the following discussion, the target strip 86 produces pulses t, the target strip t8 produces pulses u andthe target strip et produces the pulses u. The biasing potential applied to the deection plates 85 by the potentiometer 92 is so adjusted that with no signal on the deflection plates, the beam assumes a rest position opposite the numeral 0 of Figure 8B. f for example, the wave r is less than one unit in amplitude, the beam of electrons is deilected so to strike the target 90 through an aperture 9d. Duc to the fact that the beam is pulsed by the sampling pulses applied to the grid 84, a pulse u is produced by the target 90. Now

.let us assume that the amplitude of the received,

wave r lies between one and two units, thus indicating that the wave o must be present at the adder M of the transmitter. The ribbon-beam of electrons in the decoder of the receiver is deflected further in a vertical direction so that it strikes the target 88 through an aperture 98 so as to produce pulses u. Further examination of the target shows that any of unique combinations of amplitudes ofthe wave forms` n, o and p can be decoded.

In any of the arrangements shown, the size oi a unit has to be established at transmitter and receiver. It is only' necessary to transmit periodically a signal of known relative amplitude that can be identified. As this `is always done in television, there is no needfto describe it in de- Except where necessary for purposes of the invention, amp-liners have been omitted in thek interest of simplicity. One skilled in the art would not have any diiiculty in introducing amplifiers at the proper points.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

Y8 l'. A transmitter for transmitting a given signalv within a bandwidth less than the highest ei'iective frequency in said signal comprisingin combination, an output terminal and an input paths for delaying the signals passing therethrough, means for adjusting the relative gains of said two paths so that the maximum amplitude of the signals flowing in said second path does not exceed any one quanta level of said quantizer, and sampling means connected between said input and output terminals to permit electrical energy to flow between said input and output terminals during successive intervals.

2. A transmitter as described in claim 1 wherein the delaying means is of a character that delays the signals by an amount equal to the time between the successive intervals during which energy ows from said input to said output terminal.

3. A receiver comprising in combination an input terminal, a quantizer having an input and output forming part of a rst electrical energy path coupled to said input terminal, a subtractor forming part of a second electrical energy path coupled between the input and output of said quantizer, an output terminal coupled to the output of said quantizer and said subtractor,

means for causing energy to low periodically between said input and output terminals, means in one of said paths for delaying the signals passing therethrough, and means for establishing the relative gains of the rst and second paths.

4. A transmitter comprising in combination means for sampling a signal at regular intervals with respect to the signal so that a given number of samples form a group, means for changing the relative maximum amplitudes of each of said samples in such a manner that any two combinations of any of the maximum levels add up to different values, each maximum level appearing not more than once iny any or said combinations, means superimposing samples of each group onto one another to form a composite sarnple for each group, and a low pass filter to which said composite samples are applied, said low pass filter having an upper frequency limit edual to at least half the frequency of said composite samples.

5. A receiver comprising in combination, means for quantizing a received signal so as t'o form a first wave, means for extracting the dife'rence between said quantized signal and said received signal so as to form a second wave, means for delaying one of said waves with respect to the other, means for amplifying one oi saidwaves with respect to the other, and means for providving samples or said rst wave during a rst set 9 are assigned numbers related to unity in proportion to their increased gains, any two combinations of said numbers add up to a different sum,

spaced intervals so that composite pulses are applied to said low pass lter.

7. A receiver comprising in combination, means for quantizing a` received signal so as to form a rst wave means for between said rst wave so as to form al second extracting the difference and said received signal wave, means for delaying one of said waves with respect to the other,`

means for amplifying one of` said waves with `and means for providing wave during a rst set of for providing samples of respect to the other, samples of said first intervals and means said second wave during a second set of intervals,`

each of said second set of intervals occurring between a different pair of said first set of intervals.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,437,707 Pierce Mar.. 16, 1948 2,467,486 Krumhansl Apr. 19, 1949 2,521,733 Lesti Sept. 12, 1950 2,592,228 Adams Apr. 8, 1952 2,605,361 Cutler July 29, 1952 

